I love the fourth of July! It is one of my favorite holidays – always has been! But this year was a tuff one for me. We have lived away from family ever since Mark and I got married and so we got used to doing holidays and other events on our own, early on in our marriage. Fourth of July was the exception though. It was the holiday we always spent in Soda Springs, Idaho (one of my favorite places in the world) with extended family and I loved it.
I seriously considered a lot of different scenarios this year that could get us there, but it just didn’t make sense. So I tried to pick myself up and not have an internal pity party, and enjoy the day with our little family. Another thing that made it tricky was that Mark had to work all day until later in the evening.
Splash Pad
So I needed to find something to do with the kids to make it special that wasn’t completely overwhelming. So we made our way to the splash pad! The kids loved it! It was the perfect, simple activity combined with a picnic lunch.
Barbecue
When we got home, we all showered and the kids played while I got together our barbecue. Once Mark got home, we headed out back to enjoy some family time.
Fireworks
Because I have always spent fourth of July with family, I learned I have been completely ignorant to how expensive fireworks are! WOWZA! I walked into the firework tent and quickly walked out. I couldn’t believe it! I got the kids a couple containers of sparklers + some poppers and they had a good ole’ time! And I was so happy because we ended up having the perfect spot to just enjoy the fireworks of others! The kids were exhausted (the heat totally wipes them out!) and once our sparklers were done they were ready to get into pjs and snuggle up with a movie! When the movie was over, we were surrounded by so many local fireworks. Many people on our street had fireworks they were doing on the floor and then from upstairs we could watch SO MANY fireworks from the surrounding area! The kids piled on Sarah’s bed and just looked out the window. They were comfy and tired and they each eventually made their way back to their own rooms to go to bed (even before the fireworks were over!).
It ended up being a great low-key day. I missed my extended family like crazy, and I don’t think I will even stop missing Independence Day in Soda, but we loved the opportunity to spend quality time together as a family and celebrate America. We love our country and hope that we, as a people, remember the principles that it was founded on. Happy Birthday, America!
